Stay With Me
by a Stranger in Paradise
Summary: House asks Wilson to stay the night. Revised.


Story Title: Stay With Me

Chapter Title: With You

Author: A Stranger In Paradise

Rating: T

Word Count: 1,904

Pairing: Dr. Gregory House and Dr. James Wilson

Disclaimer: I do not own House, M.D. so don't ask. I make no profit, except for the joys of writing and getting reviews.

Author's Notes: Okay. So, I had given up on writing fan fictions for a while because I wasn't inspired and I didn't think I could write well. I just decided if I had a good story concept, then I'd just draw it out. I'm on DeviantArt under the same name, astrangerinparadise. But I can't draw House and Wilson, so here I sit writing this. Gawd, I'm wordy. I'll just shut up and let you read the story.

"It's hypothetical!" House told him getting annoyed. Wilson didn't' have to look at him to know his eyes were wide and he was making a grand open armed gesture toward the TV. They had been watching Flight of the Phoenix (new one) and at some point agreed they rather disliked the female character. Thus the game began. Wilson was tight-lipped and stone faced.

"I am not going to tell you which _guy_ I would," he groped for an appropriate word ". . .choose!"

House leaned back into is chair in a defeated gesture. But anyone who knew him, knew he was just going to calm down and try another approach.

"You're no fun." He pouted, tilting his head slightly to the side to peer over at Wilson continued to sit perfectly still on the couch with his eyes glued to the screen. He smiled slightly at the man's innocence. Wilson was a naive looking man, his eyes gazing in wonder at the TV. House blinked a few times as James Wilson made the mistake of meeting his gaze. His blue eyes were so serene, and prodding. James looked away, a light blush crossing his cheeks. House smiled slightly and continued. "Everyone knows I'm. . .what's that overly used cliché word, again?"

"Miserable." Wilson smirked. It was inevitable; it was one of those moments that he loved so much. House was going to open up in order to gain something in return, and in these moments, Wilson would give anything to be there, to witness this rare spectacle. He needed to be reminded that House was in fact a human.

"Yeah, _that_ word." House crinkled his nose up in distaste. "You think someone could pick up a thesaurus and find a new way of saying the same old, tired thing." A moment of silence passed before House returned to his point. "These little games that you hate so much, they please me, I don't know if you realized it-" He trailed off, not wanting to offer too much of himself. Not wanting Wilson to make the connection that he needed him. They both turned back to the TV, the movie was barely audible. That was the routine, they watched, but they had their own conversation going on during. It made things intriguing. Sometimes House and Wilson would make up their own words to the movie, like a Who's Line Is It Anyway? game.

"You'll make fun of me. . .but" Wilson sighed, scratching the side of his head lightly. He couldn't believe he was doing this. "The British guy- Hugh Laurie."

House began to laugh uncontrollably. Maybe it was to prove Wilson was right in assuming he would mock him, but maybe, it was because it was genuinely funny.

"What is wrong with you?!" House said between laughs. Wilson just shook his head. But House was persistent. He stopped laughing and maintained an almost composed expression. "No, you have to tell me what you see in him."

Wilson looked at him and gave his options some consideration before saying, "that's not how this works. You have to tell me-you know- and _then_ you can ask me another question."

"Those rules suck."

"Yeah well you made them. Give a little-take a little."

House tapped his cane on the floor. Smile having gone. It was hard to imagine there had ever been a smile on Greg House's face. Wilson could hear the cogs and mechanisms click on in House's brain as he filed through each character, noting on their appearance, personality, habits and subtle nuances.

"We're not talking long term here, House. Just choose."

"If you haven't noticed, I tend to be very picky about whom I associate with." He said with a raised eyebrow. He was opening a new prompt. Now House wouldn't have to answer the previous question, because the conversation had taken a more interesting turn.

"Care to elaborate?"

"You want me to pick myself apart in front of you and show you what makes me tick?"

"A clue would be nice."

"They are all chosen by how useful they can be to me." Like all honest things, it was said bluntly with no emotion.

"How noble of you."

"You asked. You want me to continue or do you have something else to remark on, perhaps my grammar?"

"No, continue." Wilson sighed. He wondered if he'd regret this.

"Cuddy is the administrator, you're on the board, Foreman has a criminal background, and Chase's dad is-well was a highly respected doctor."

"And Cameron?"

"She falls into category 2, the second thing I use to filter people. Appearance, (and how easily they are manipulated.) I'm a sucker for brown eyes and hair. Stacey, Cuddy, Cameron."

Wilson wanted his name at the end of the list. He too fit the category. A moment of silence passed.

"Now," House cleared his throat. "Why Hugh Laurie?"

Ding-Ding-Ding

"Jesus!" Wilson jumped at the sound of the clock chiming. "You got a new clock." He muttered. "It's-it's thee in morning, House. I have to get some sleep."

"You haven't answered my question."

Wilson shrugged off the piercing gaze from House, sighed and shook his head. "I don't know why you insist on playing this game. It's not like you'd ever be with a man anyways."

House noted how Wilson said 'you'd' and not 'we'd'. Wilson was purposely excluding himself from that statement. Wilson straightened his tie, and grabbed his coat from the back of the couch.

"Says who?"

Wilson gave House a tired look that clearly said, 'stop it.' But he responded, nonetheless.

"If you were gay, you'd have said something, there'd be evidence." He stood up and put his coat on, briskly flipping the collar.

"Maybe I have implied it, but it's been written off as a snarky comment or me just being an ass. . .When you spend all of your time lying, no one knows when you let some truth slip out." House smiled playfully, but Wilson didn't want to play, because this was a game that made him depressed. Sure it was fun once in a while, being able to see House smile was worth it most times, but it hurt. It hurt to know that in the end, none of it mattered. Even if House could love him, he'd never admit it, it'd never work. Wilson's hopes were doomed from the beginning, and he knew it. Wilson walked to the door.

"Goodnight, House." He said it firmly like he always did to insist that the conversation was over, the interaction was ended.

Wilson's hand was on the door knob, pulling the door closed behind him as he walked out of House's apartment. And House couldn't help but feel like the door was closing permanently. A door was closing on options, closing on life, closing on the world, on light, on love, on eternity, and suddenly the air they breathed was not enough.

"Jimmy!"

Wilson twirled around and stuck his head back into the apartment.

"What did you just say?" His breath had caught in his chest and his heart skipped a beat, just like in those stupid romance novels. He could swear he heard House call out to him, astonishing in itself, but the impossible part was his first name being called.

House had maneuvered himself from the chair to the door. He stood, leaning his weight onto his cane and avoiding Wilson's eyes. He was nervous.

"You don't have to go, Jimmy" It was nearly a whisper, but Wilson heard him. He reentered the apartment and closed the door. Wilson wanted it to mean what he hoped it meant. But it was impossible. Things like this just didn't happen, best friends didn't fall in love and live happily ever after. Hell, _House _didn't fall in love and live happily ever after.

"You can stay." House said clearly and firmly. He glanced up at Wilson, reading his expression, his body language.

Wilson wanted to make sure this was what it was, and not just hopeful interpretation.

"I don't want to sleep on your couch anymore."

"Would you rather sleep in my bed?"

Wilson wanted to jump up and down screaming 'yes, yes, oh GOD yes!' But this was House he was talking to. He just couldn't believe this was happening.

"Where would you sleep?"

Wilson was dense. Or at least that was the thought that flew straight to House's mind. Stupid, stupid, stupid. This was hard enough already with out having to spell it out. He contemplated forgetting the whole damn thing. But he looked into Wilson's eyes and couldn't be frustrated with him. They were both struggling, it was new to both of them. He chose his words carefully. A simple answer that answered all.

"With you."

Before that night, they had both thought that pillow talk was something you were obligated to do with a woman after having sex with her. But they hadn't even kissed. They just laid in bed together in the dark, lying close and talking. They talked about everything, they talked about nothing. They're eyes drooped heavily and their speech became light and groggy.

"I hear birds." Wilson mumbled. House was so close to him, he literally inhaled those words.

"That's cheesy."

"No. I mean, like outside, actual birds. What time is it?"

"Time to sleep." House whined. Wilson knew House's leg hurt, but there were priorities.

"We have patients, a hospital to . . . run. . .or whatever."

"Call in sick."

Wilson opened his mouth to protest, but House put his arm around him and buried his face into Wilson's chest.

"Let's just stay in bed." House said holding onto him snuggly. Wilson would rather stab his eyes out with hot French fries than leave this bed. He grabbed the cell phone off the bedside table, flipped it open and hit speed dial.

"This is Dr. Wilson, head of oncology, I'm not coming in today, see if Dr. Yapp can fill in for me. pause Yes, I'll be okay. pause Well, Thank you. longer pause No, I'm sorry but- well yeah. I know. I know. Goodbye."

"Was it that nurse you were sleeping with last month?" House asked as Wilson hung up the phone and tossed in back onto the table. He snuggled closer to House.

"Why, are you jealous?"

"No, because if you do anything with her again. . . I'll castrate you." He smiled, eyes still closed, just enjoying the warmth of another body next to him.

"That's a sobering thought."

"Exactly."

There was a moment of silence as Wilson felt guilty. He had a long track record of cheating on people and thought maybe that was what House was implying. He wanted to tell House that he was the reason his relationships failed, that he was in love with him and didn't want to admit it. He was looking for love in women, for fear of finding it in House.

"So you tricked me, huh?"

House smiled, interrupting Wilson's depressing thoughts.

"What?" Wilson stared down at House, a little confused.

"Last week, that charade with Cameron." House opened his eyes, and smiled a little wider. "Make me choose by taking away the options, clever."

"If you knew, why'd you fall for it?"

"Maybe I just needed a reason. If things didn't work out, I could always twist things around. It was a safety net. . . . . so. . .how does Cameron kiss?"

"Badly."

Author's Notes: Sorry to cut it off here. New chapters will have happy fun wonderful stuff probably. They decided to take things slow in this chapter because I said so. Hope you like it. Check out the other story I have called Last Week. It'll be posted soon.


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